Before mechanical refrigeration, ice was the primary method of cooling perishables. Loading blocks of ice into the rooftop hatches of solid reefer trains would be a daunting task were it not for the construction of icing platforms that brought the ice up to car height for speedier icing and re-icing of the trains. Icing platforms on the major refrigerator routes were often quite extensive and some measured up to 50 car lengths. The ice house was usually attached to the platforms to provide an ice supply that could be accessed quickly.